Written and Performed by Gillian Bennett and Russell Bennett Directed and Dramaturged by Emelia Symington Fedy Download Media photos here
	Can love redeem us – personally and globally? CRUDE LOVE is an unlikely love story between Phyllis McCormack, a woman dump truck driver from Newfoundland, and Abbie Waxman, a lone, ex-Greenpeace eco-warrior set in the harsh Alberta Tar Sands. The time is set in 2012, when the US Military occupies northern Alberta, and when peak oil and peak love collide. Big Smoke Productions has created funny, poignant and politically-tinged theatre since 2004. CRUDE LOVE is Big Smoke Productions’ first two-person play, after three successful solo shows: the award-winning The Reefer Man, which was the Pick of the Fringe in Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver, voted by critics as Best Fringe Production in Victoria, and won second place in Montreal’s Chapter’s Best Text Award;Self-Storage, which was selected as Pick of the Fringe in Toronto and Vancouver and was praised by critics across the country; and Rocket Man, which was both hated and adored by audiences, garnering reviews from 0 stars (one of two shows in Edmonton to receive that bizarre distinction) to 4 1/2 stars. While they met at theatre school in New York City ten years ago, this is Russell and Gillian’s first time on stage together since the altar. They are traveling across Canada to eight Fringe Festivals: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Victoria and back home to Vancouver. They teamed up with Fringe Festival favourite, Emelia Symington Fedy, known for her Patti Fedy trilogy. Fedy is both dramaturge and director for CRUDE LOVE. REVIEWS and NEWS ARTICLES Vue Magazine - August 14/08 Review - -"Hilarious, thoughtful and heartbreaking." Global Television - August 14/08 Review - -"Stellar performances. Not preachy. Tugs at your heartstrings. It's going to sell out quickly, so get your tickets soon!" Edmonton Sun - August 17/08 Review - -"The writing is so intelligent and poignant and the performances so sympathetic in this politically-tinged love story." Edmonton Journal - August 13/08 Review - -"This new play contains real people, real chemistry, real heart." The Globe and Mail - August 12/08 article - "About as Canadian as a story gets..." Saskatoon Star Phoenix - August 3/08 Review - -"It's a wonderfully engaging show, right from the opening scene." Winnipeg Sun - July 21/08 Review - -"Intelligent but not preachy, Crude Love balances activism and entertainment the way it was meant to be done." The Gate - Toronto - July 7/08 Review -"Charming and heartbreaking....First rate." Toronto Star - July 8/08 Review - "Real chemistry here." eye weekly - Toronto - July 4/08 Review - "Palpable chemistry" Ottawa Xpress - June 19/08 Review - "Crude Love is not to be missed...head and shoulders above most fringe fare." Montreal Mirror - June 19/08 Review - "Sharply written and acted...a political love story that works." 24 Hours - Ottawa - June 18/08 article - "All about the 'Love'" Ottawa Citizen - June 18/08 article - Crude Love tops the list of shows to see in Ottawa Fringe Festival Montreal Gazette - June 14/08 article - "Sounds like a great scenario for a movie."
	CITY DATES THEATRES Montreal Sat June 14 - 11:15pm Sun June 15 - 7:45pm Mon June 16 - 6:00pm Wed June 18 - 4:30pm Thu June 19 - 8:15pm Fri June 20 - 5:45pm Sat June 21 - 9:45pm Montreal Fringe Festival VENUE #9 - Theatre Ste. Catharine 264 Ste. Catharine E. www.montrealfringe.ca Call the Box Office at 514.849.3378 Ottawa Sun June 22 - 9:00pm Mon June 23 - 6:00pm Wed June 25 - 8:00pm Fri June 27 - 11:00pm Sat June 28 - 6:30pm Sun June 29 - 3:00pm Ottawa Fringe Festival Venue 2 - Academic Hall Ottawa University, 135 Séraphin-Marion St. www.ottawafringe.com Call the Box Office at (613) 232-6162 Toronto Thu July 3 - 10:30pm Sat July 5 - 2:00pm Sun July 6 - 8:00pm Mon July 7 - 12:30pm Wed July 9 - 5:00pm Fri July 11 - 8:30pm Sat July 12 - 2:00pm Toronto Fringe Festival Glen Morris Theatre 40 Glen Morris St. (south of Bloor, east of Spadina) www.fringetoronto.com Call the Box Office at 416-966-1062 Winnipeg Wed July 16 - 11:00pm Fri July 18 - 7:00pm Sat July 19 - 8:45pm Sun July 20 -10:30pm Tue July 22 - 7:00pm Wed July 23 - 8:45pm Thu July 24 - 10:30pm Sat July 26 - 7:00pm Sun July 27 - 8:45pm Winnipeg Fringe Festival Prairie Theatre Exchange - Colin Jackson Studio 393 Portage Ave. (Portage Place, 3rd Floor) www.winnipegfringe.com Call the Box Office at 943-7464 Saskatoon Fri Aug 1 - 5:35pm Sat Aug 2 - 3:45pm Tue Aug 5 - 8:35pm Thu Aug 7 - 7:30pm Fri Aug 8 - 4:30pm Sat Aug 9 - 10:50pm Saskatoon Fringe Festival Off-Broadway Arts Centre 639 Main Street www.25thstreettheatre.org Call the Box Office at 306-664-2239 Edmonton Sat Aug 16 - 12:30pm Sun Aug 17 - 8:45pm Mon Aug 18 - 2:45pm Tue Aug 19 - 10pm Thu Aug 21 - 4:30pm Sat Aug 23 - 10:45pm Edmonton Fringe Festival Yardbird Suite, 11 Tommy Banks Way www.fringetheatreadventures.ca Call the Box Office: 780-409-1910 Victoria Tue Aug 26 - 6:15pm Wed Aug 27 - 8:00pm Thu Aug 28 - 6:00pm Fri Aug 29 - 11:15pm Sat Aug 30 - 3:45pm Sun Aug 31 - 9:30pm Victoria Fringe Festival VENUE 1 - Downtown Community Activity Centre 755 Pandora Avenue www.intrepidtheatre.com Call the Box Office: 250-383-2691 Vancouver Thu Sept 4 - 9:00pm Fri Sept 5 - 11:00pm Sat Sept 6 - 5:00pm Sun Sept 7 - 3:00pm Mon Sept 8 - 7:00pm Tue Sept 9 - 11:00pm Thu Sept 11 - 7:00pm Fri Sept 12 - 9:00pm Sat Sept 13 - 9:00pm Sun Sept 14 - 5:00pm Vancouver Fringe Festival Carousel Theatre 1411 Cartwright St., Granville Island www.vancouverfringe.com Call the Box Office: 604- Tickets will also be available online at www.festivalboxoffice.com   DONATIONS COLLECTED FOR GREENPEACE - EDMONTON CITY AMOUNT Montreal $116.69 Ottawa $232.27 Toronto $256.75 Winnipeg $341.58 Saskatoon $295.55 Edmonton   Victoria   Vancouver   GOAL TOTAL DONATIONS $2012.00 $1242.84 as of Aug 12